The present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning and removing dust from textile fiber tufts, the apparatus being of the type which includes a pipeline in which an injector nozzle is provided, an associated air separation zone spaced from the injector nozzle and having an opening, and an apparatus for extracting the air.
In a prior art device, fiber tufts are introduced into a stream of air exiting from an injector nozzle and the resulting deflection as well as the turbulent flow of air created by the injector nozzle removes shell remnants and other foreign bodies from the tufts. The air mixed with the fiber tufts is then immediately forced through a further conically tapered cleaning nozzle and upon leaving this nozzle the suddenly widened cross section of the air stream creates a further turbulent flow which causes the bunches of fibers to be opened further. Then the fiber tufts are brought past a wire screen through which the pressurized air escapes while carrying away the foreign bodies released by the fiber tufts. The wire screen is attached, after several bends, to the end of the pipeline. This apparatus is unduly complicated and not suitable to effect extensive release of dust from the fiber tufts. Another drawback is that the wire screen may be clogged with fiber tufts.